Disaster!

Disaster has struck! In my wisdom, I decided to give the race birds a 20 mile toss. The weather was beautiful although a little cold. I let 5 birds go. On arriving back, no birds were to be seen! I waited for about an hour when two came like rockets over the top of the house. I knew immediately this was not good. I waited and waited for the others. The 3rd finally came an hour and half later. At nightfall I was missing 2 cocks. 1 of them being Samwise Ganji. (I had big, big hopes for this cock this season.) Both were also sitting 2 day old youngsters. I decided to wait until the following morning to see if the 2 cocks would turn up. I got home from work at 2.30pm expecting to see at least 1 if not both waiting to enter the loft. However, my hope soon turned to disappointment as there was nothing about. Last night I then had to make a decision what I was going to do with the youngsters. In the end, I choose to smash 4 eggs and foster the youngsters under the pairs who were sitting those eggs. Both pairs have accepted the young ones and feeding well. However, this has damaged my 1st round numbers significantly as I now only have 11 youngsters and 2 eggs left in the loft. I am also down to 9 pairs of birds, and need to re-pair a hen and cock. So all in all, a total disaster of a training toss. It has no doubt done the 3 birds that returned the world of good but as for the consequences.....lets just say I am bitterly disappointed. Well onwards and upwards as they say!